Digital Outreach: Mobilizing the Ordinary for the Great Commission

Bethany always knew she wanted to be part of God’s mission. In college, she joined several short-term trips overseas, each one deepening her love for people who had never heard the gospel. By graduation, her heart was set on long-term missionary service.

But real life brought real obstacles. Student loans and bills meant Bethany couldn’t head overseas right away. She found herself asking: How can I keep growing in my calling to missions while waiting for God’s timing to send me?

That’s when she discovered a new approach. Through online platforms, Bethany began connecting with people from other cultures who were eager to practice English and explore spiritual questions. Soon she was regularly connecting with a young Turkish university student over video calls. Their conversations started with culture and daily life, but before long, curiosity about Bethany’s faith opened the door to read the Bible together.

For Bethany, this season has been more than a stopgap—it’s been a lifeline. She says, “Embassy gave me a way to keep serving the nations right from my living room. It keeps my heart engaged in missions, even while I work and pay off loans.”

Now, each week Bethany sits at her desk in the U.S. while her Turkish friend logs in from across the globe. They open the Gospel of John, read side by side, and talk about Jesus. What once felt like a delay in Bethany’s calling has become a season of preparation, practice, and purpose.

Misssiologist Doug Birdsall says that, “The Great Commission is for every church in every culture in every generation. There are no exclusions. But . . . every church in every culture in every generation must determine the way in which they respond to this responsibility — in a way that is appropriate to time and context.”

Digital outreach is one such opportunity. It reminds us that missions is not reserved only for those who can pack their bags tomorrow. It’s for every follower of Jesus—students, retirees, professionals, and parents—who are willing to say yes to meeting people where they already are: online.

Explore practical ways your church can join Bethany and engage in digital missions at crescentproject.org/embassy.

This article was contributed by Crescent Project, a Missio Nexus member.  Member organizations are welcome to contribute content to the Missio Nexus website. Learn how by clicking here.